by Gerry Ahern, USA TODAY Sports

by Gerry Ahern, USA TODAY Sports

MILWAUKEE -- Michigan ran away with the Big Ten regular-season championship, outdistancing Michigan State and Wisconsin by three games apiece.

Though the Wolverines entered the NCAA tournament as a No. 2 seed, just a season after running all the way to the national championship game, there has been little buzz around the Maize and Blue.

Everyone nationally has fallen in love with Michigan State, Sparty healthy, hearty and full of fuel after bullying its way past Michigan to the conference tournament championship.

After the Wolverines' 79-65 win over Texas in Saturday's NCAA tournament Midwest Round of 32 game at Bradley Center, you might want to get John Beilein's team back in the front of your mind.

They can shoot with anybody. On Saturday they came in at 44.4% from the field.

They can rain three-pointers. They made 14 of 28 against the Longhorns. Nik Stauskas hit four and scored 17 points.

They are solid, not spectacular, defensively. Texas mustered just 37.1% shooting against the gritty group. Michigan scored 15 points off turnovers.

They take care of the basketball. Four turnovers vs. Texas. Stauskas, Big Ten Player of the Year, had eight assists and no turnovers.

They make their free throws. 17-of-21 in the win that advanced them to the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive year.

"They're an outstanding team," Texas coach Rick Barnes said. "You have to love the efficiency that they play with. They're nasty. They are as good as anybody and they're capable of winning the national championship as much as any other team, I can guarantee you, that's in the Sweet 16."

Beilein, who earned his 700th win Saturday, is one of the great coaching minds in the game. His plan against the Longhorns worked to perfection. Force the action. Control the tempo. Stop Cameron Ridley (six points, 2 of 5 from the field).

Michigan (27-8) is a tournament-tested bunch, fundamentally sound and brimming with confidence. And let's not forget the sweep of Tom Izzo's Spartans, the team that struggled before shedding Harvard later Saturday, during the regular season.

"What I like about this team is that they've never lost two in a row, they've been resilient," Beilein said. "They get better both in victory and defeat. It depends on a lot of draws and a lot of luck and a lot of things, but this team has an attitude that is similar to last year's team. They pick themselves up when things don't go well. Glenn Robinson, Jordan Morgan they've been making big plays all year long. Spike Albrecht hit a huge shot. There's another guy ready to step up all the time."

Next up for the Wolverines is Tennessee or Mercer. Nice teams, but not programs that leave you shaking in your sneakers with a spot in the Elite Eight on the line. They'll be favored there.

A matchup with Louisville or Wichita State could loom next. The Cardinals, like MSU a No. 4 seed, had a lot of folks saying they deserved better. But Louisville struggled in its opener against Manhattan. The defending national champions aren't invincible. And the Shockers? A fine team that hasn't lost yet this season but also hasn't had to play the type of brutal competition Michigan sees weekly in the Big Ten.

The knock on the Wolverines is they lack depth, particularly inside. They had enough against Texas, which was supposedly going to have a big advantage in the paint. Morgan (15 points, 10 rebounds) and Robinson (14 points, five rebounds) held their ground just fine against Texas' Ridley and Jonathan Holmes.

So underestimate Michigan at your own peril.

"At this point I think people like to say that we can't accomplish things," Morgan said. "We embrace that."